Q1.I want to pursue a career as a police, state corrections or
probation/parole officer in New Hampshire.How can I enroll in the police academy or the corrections
academy?

A1.Neither Academy accepts tuition students.To attend the police academy you must be hired by a state, local
or county law enforcement agency in New Hampshire.Your employer will then send you to the Academy.All associated costs are borne by the State and your employer.To attend the New Hampshire Corrections Academy, you must
first be hired by the New Hampshire Department of Corrections, and all
costs are borne by the agency and by the State.

Q2.What happens when I complete the Academy?

A2.You are certified by the New Hampshire Police Standards and
Training Council as a full-time or part-time police officer or corrections officer,
as applicable.

Q3.How long after I am hired, do I have to become certified?

A3.You must attend and successfully complete the training course
within 6 months of your date of hire.

Q4.Are there other entrance requirements besides simply being hired
by a law enforcement agency or corrections agency?

A4.
No serious
criminal or motor vehicle record, good credit history, pass a background
investigation, fingerprint check, a psychological evaluation, a medical
exam by a licensed health professional, and a physical fitness test.

Q5.What physical fitness test must I pass?

A5.The physical fitness tests are based on the Cooper Aerobics
Institute standards. For the
Full-time Police Officer Academy you
must pass at least the 35th percentile on both the entrance and exit
tests. The Part-time Officer
Academy and Law Package Students must pass at least the 35th
percentile on the entrance test (there is no exit test). Decided on
November 15, 2016, the Corrections Officer Academy will pilot for at
least one year a 20th
percentile entrance test with a 35th
percentile exit.

Age
18-29

20th percentile

35th percentile

1.5 mile run (male)

14:06

12:53

1.5 mile
run (female)

16:46

15:14

Push-ups
(male)

22

27

Push-ups (female)

17 (mod) 10 (FB)

22
(mod) 14 (FB)

Sit-ups in 1 min. (male)

33

37

Sit-ups in 1 min. (female)

24

31

Age 30-39

20th percentile

35th percentile

1.5 mile run (male)

14:34

13:24

1.5 mile
run (female)

17:38

15:58

Push-ups (male)

17

21

Push-ups
(female)

11 (mod) 8 (FB)

17 (mod) 10 (FB)

Sit-ups in 1 min. (male)

30

33

Sit-ups in 1 min. (female)

20

24

Age 40-49

20th percentile

35th percentile

1.5 mile run (male)

15:22

14:07

1.5 mile
run (female)

18:38

16:46

Push-ups (male)

11

16

Push-ups (female)

6 (mod) 6 (FB)

11 (mod) 8 (FB)

Sit-ups in 1 min. (male)

19

28

Sit-ups in 1 min. (female)

14

19

Age 50-59

th percentile

35th percentile

1.5 mile run (male)

16:46

15:20

1.5 mile
run (female)

20:32

18:37

Push-ups (male)

9

11

Push-ups (female)

6 (mod)

10 (mod)

Sit-ups in
1 min. (male)

19

22

Sit-ups in
1 min. (female)

10

12

Age
60- 69

20th percentile

35th percentile

1.5 mile run (male)

19:10

17:11

1.5 mile run (female)

22:44

20:46

Push-ups (male)

6

9

Push-ups (female)

2 (mod)

4 (mod)

Sit-ups in
1 min. (male)

15

18

Sit-ups in
1 min. (female)

3

5

Age
70- 79

20th percentile

35th percentile

1.5 mile run (male)

21:47

19:39

1.5 mile
run (female)

23:46

22:20

Push-ups (male)

6

9

Push-ups (female)

2 (mod)

4 (mod)

Sit-ups in 1 min. (male)

15

18

Sit-ups in 1 min. (female)

3

5

Sit-ups must be performed within 60 seconds, in the proper form.

Q6.Must I maintain an ongoing level of physical fitness after
graduating from the Academy?

A6.Yes, you must pass a medical exam and physical
fitness test every 3 years, throughout your career, in order to maintain
your certification.

Q7.How stringent is the medical examination?

A7.It generally requires you to be in good overall physical health,
with no conditions that would prevent you from fulfilling the essential
functions of a police or corrections officer.

Q8.What are some of those essential functions?

A8.You must be able to physically subdue resisting individuals,
including someone bigger and stronger than you or multiple aggressors;
engage in a foot chase of a fleeing suspect; run up and down flights of
stairs; lift and carry injured individuals; push a stalled vehicle;
change a vehicle’s tire and install the spare; accurately fire a
pistol, revolver, shotgun and rifle; drive an automobile safely at high
speeds and under adverse conditions; remain calm and use good judgment
under extraordinary fear and stress; give verbal commands; read and
interpret laws and complex instructions; hear instructions over and
operate a police radio; have adequate keyboarding skills to operate a
personal laptop computer; write legible and well-organized reports;
search persons and apply handcuffs; utilize a police baton and defensive
spray; develop and maintain friendly and cooperative relationships with
fellow officers, supervisors and the public; see and hear well enough to
hear orders and instructions despite background noise; detect expired
vehicle registration decals and inspections stickers on moving vehicles
at a distance; have sufficient color vision to distinguish colors of
vehicles, wires on explosive devices, etc; see well enough to accurately
fire a weapon if your glasses or contacts became dislodged in a
struggle; have sufficient night vision to safely drive at high speed,
fire a weapon in dim light conditions; be free from a debilitating
disease; and assume a professional, paramilitary appearance and demeanor
in uniform.

Q9.What are the minimum visual acuity standards?

A9.All candidates shall have binocular vision and near vision of not
worse than 20/40 corrected binocular.Corrected distance vision shall be at least 20/30 in the weaker
eye and shall be for both eyes together.

Q10.What are the minimum hearing standards?

A10.The candidate shall have unaided hearing in both ears sufficient
to perform essential tasks without posing a direct threat to themselves or
others.An acceptable test
is a whispered conversation at 15 feet or, preferably, using an
audiometer, the candidate shall have no average loss of 25 or more
decibels at the 500, 1000, 2000 and 3000 Hertz (Hz) levels in either ear
with no single frequency loss in excess of 40.

Q11.What if I have high blood pressure?

A11.Resting blood pressure shall be less than, or equal to, 150mmHG
systolic and 95mmHg diastolic, on three successive readings.(If the candidate has controlled hypertension not exceeding the
above standard and is on medication with side effect profiles which do
not interfere with performance of duty, then the condition may not be
excludable.)

Q12.What if I have diabetes?

A12.A case-by-case assessment as to the control of diabetes and
presence and severity of symptoms and complication shall be required.Disqualifiers may include recurrent episodes of hypoglycemia,
ketoacidosis, or any other diabetes-related complications.Insulin dependence requires a specific medical waiver from a
qualified physician as approved by the employer and Council, to indicate
no limitations on the candidate’s physical activities, minimal to no
danger of diabetic reaction, etc.

Q13.What if I have some other physical disability or impediment?

A13.The hiring agency, in conjunction with the Council, will consider
your disability on a case-by-case basis, and decide whether (1) it is in
fact a disability and (2) whether, with reasonable accommodation, you
can fully participate in the required training at the academy and then
perform the essential functions of a police or state corrections officer, as
applicable.

Q14.I have a particular medical problem or disability.Who can I ask to determine if I can be hired or allowed to attend
the Academy?

A14.The Council will not speculate or give off-the-cuff opinions on
these matters.If you apply
and are hired and there is any question, we will, at that point, look at
your situation on a case-by-case basis, referring to our Medical Review
Board for a recommendation if necessary.

Q15.What standards must I meet, or test must I pass, in order to be
hired?

A15.New Hampshire criminal justice agencies are free to, and are
encouraged to, set higher standards for their departments than the
Council statewide minimums.For
example, some departments require that you pass a polygraph (lie
detector) test, a written test, assessment center, oral interview, etc.

Q16.How long is the Academy?

A16.The
New Hampshire Police Academy is currently a 16 week residential academy. The environment is
paramilitary in nature and you will be subject to military discipline
– marching, saluting, etc.Your
day will begin at 5:30 a.m. with physical fitness training and “lights
out” will occur at 9:30 p.m., after study time.You will go home Friday night and return Monday morning, but most
recruits spend substantial time studying at home on weekends.The Corrections Academy is 9 weeks non-residential (commuter
school) and the discipline is more relaxed but still has paramilitary
elements.

Q17.How difficult is the Academy curriculum?

A17.Your training will consist of academic subjects such as criminal
code and constitutional law; practical subjects such as human relations;
and physical skills subjects such as defensive tactics, emergency
driving, and firearms.The
tests consist both of written test and practical skills demonstrations
such as driving and firearms qualifications.The minimum passing grade is 70%, and you must pass every subject
in order to graduate, not just have an overall average of 70% or better.

Q18.What about a career in County Corrections?

A18.By law, the Council does not train or certify County Correction's
personnel.They are trained
and certified by the New Hampshire Association of Counties.

Q19.I am a certified out-of-state officer.Can I be hired in New Hampshire without going through the entire
Academy?

A19.If you are currently serving as a certified, academy-trained,
full-time police officer in another state, you may be eligible to
have some subjects waived in our Academy and only attend the “New Hampshire Law Package” training, and pass tests on
these modules.You still
must meet all the pre-hiring and background investigation requirements,
pass the medical and psychological exams and the physical fitness test.You will also be required to pass the on-going physical
fitness test every 3 years to maintain your New Hampshire certification.We are reciprocal with all other states in the US and recognize
their training if it is at least equal in scope to ours.Any classes you did not have in your state of origin, you may be
required to take in our Academy.If our analysis
of your out-of-state training requires you to take the equivalent of 30%
or more of our total Academy hours, you will be required to attend our entire
Academy.NOTE:The Corrections Academy is not reciprocal with any other state,
and you must take the entire 9-week course here, if you move in from
another state.Also some
New Hampshire police departments, as a matter of their own policy, will
require you to complete the entire New Hampshire Police Academy.

Q20.I am a civilian police or corrections employee, must I attend an
academy?

A20. Civilian employees of the New Hampshire Department of Corrections
attend the Corrections Academy alongside corrections officers because
they too have a responsibility for security within the prisons.They are given diplomas upon completion (but not certified) and
are exempt from firearms training and their training in physical fitness
and defensive tactics is less stringent than that of the corrections
officers.There is no
physical fitness entrance requirement for civilian corrections
personnel.Civilian police
personnel are not trained or certified by the Council.

Q21.Are police communications dispatchers required to be certified in
New Hampshire?

A21. Not through PTSC.

Q22.What ongoing training is required, once an officer is certified,
to maintain their certification?

A22.Police officers must complete at least 8 hours a year of ongoing
training (exclusive of firearms qualification, first aid and CPR
certificate renewal, and defensive tactics refreshers).The training topic can be any topic the agency head deems
relevant, but may not be the same topic every year.

Q23.What is the annual firearms qualification requirement?

A23.Each officer who is issued or allowed to carry firearms must
qualify on the range or a Council approved course under the supervision
of a Council-certified firearms instructor with each firearm he or she
is permitted to carry.The
training must also include at least 4 hours of use of force training.

A24.Yes, unless you obtain the written approval of the Director of
Police Standards and Training for an alternative course of fire that he
deems at least equal to the Council’s standard course.

Q25.Can a police or corrections officer have his or her certification
revoked or suspended?

A25.Yes.An officers
certification can be suspended or revoked by the Council if he or she is
convicted of a crime (including certain violation-level offenses such as
DWI); or if he or she is fired or allowed to resign in lieu of firing
for serious misconduct; or for failure to comply with mandatory Council
training requirement; or filing false or fraudulent documentation; or
for other egregious misbehavior.We
are not an “internal affairs” agency.We normally rely on the hiring agency or the Public Integrity
Section of the Attorney General’s Office for investigation and
bringing cases to us.

Q26.What happens when an officer is decertified?

A26.That officer cannot again serve as a sworn police or corrections
officer in New Hampshire unless and until the Council has voted to
reinstate the officer.The
officer’s name is also posted to a national database of decertified
officers.

Q27.Once an officer resigns or retires, how long is it before his or
her certification lapses?

A27.30 days.After that,
the Council determines eligibility for recertification.Generally if no more than 2 years has elapsed and there is
nothing in the officer’s background to prevent it, that officer can be
recertified without additional training.
Between 2 - 3 years, officers will generally be required to complete the
NH Law Package the same as an officer coming from out of state, plus any
skills courses that the Council deems should be refreshed and any new
topics that have been added to the academy curriculum. After 3 years, he
or she will be required to attend the entire academy.

Q28.What is a part-time police officer and what training is required
from them?

A28.A part-time police officer is one who receives a certification
that limits him or her to 1300 hours a year of police work (not
including training time and court attendance, but including any
administrative time and paid details).Part-time police officers must attend a part-time officer academy
run by the Council, which includes 200 hours of training typically done
on Tuesday/Thursday Nights and Saturdays.

Q29.What are the hiring requirements for part-time officers?

A29.They are the same as for full-time officers.

Q30.How do I determine who is hiring police or corrections officers,
and how do I contact them?

A30.There is no statewide civil service system in New Hampshire.The best way to determine who is hiring is to check the “help
wanted” ads in the newspapers.The
New Hampshire State Police, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department,
the New Hampshire Department of Corrections, the county sheriffs
and the town and city police departments do their own hiring and
recruiting.The Community College System of
NH also currently does regional testing at colleges such as River
Valley, Great Bay and NHTI - Concord's Community College. Other colleges
may or will offer those services as well.

Q31.I want access to information from a police or corrections
officer’s file with the Council.What should I do?

A31.Educational records are private information under the federal
Buckley Amendment.You need
to submit either a written waiver from the officer whose data you wish
to access, or a valid court order.

Q32.What if I want copies of the academy curriculum or tests?

A32. To the extent that making public any of the curriculum that
describes police tactics and might jeopardize officer safety, this is
privileged information.Any
such request should be directed to the Director of Police Standards and
Training for a legal determination as to what is releasable.Copying costs would be billed in advance for anything that can be
provided.

Q33.I would like to hold an event at the New Hampshire Police
Training Facility.What
should I do?

A33.Generally speaking, our facility is over scheduled and rooms are booked more than a year in advance.
When the facility is available, the following rules apply. The event must be in a demonstrated public interest, not inimical to the interest of law enforcement, the applicant must pay for such janitorial services as the Director requires at a premium daily rate, and pay a room rental fee. Alcoholic beverages and smoking are strictly prohibited.